Ending January With A Clearing Storm In Santee

Oh no, my rainbow is gone!

Great late light over Mission Trails and Lake 2

That was all she wrote. A little nice light right at sunset, but the clouds were too low to light up after 15 minutes.

Driving back last night from Phoenix, I knew a quick storm was blowing in. I made it over the mountains in East San Diego County before the rain set in. Today was very rainy, but this storm was also particularly windy. I saw many a tree flexing in the wind, and I wondered how many gusts it would take for the tree to finally break. Continue reading →

January 29 Sunset From Santee Lakes

Sunset in landscape orientation from Mast Blvd bridge

Tonight, the January 29 sunset from Santee Lakes was spectacular. By this time of year, I am getting home from the office with time to spare to catch the last light. The high clouds this afternoon looked like they were setting up perfectly and it did not disappoint.

Because Santee Lakes closes at 5 PM this this of year, I don’t have time to enter the park and shoot inside. However, the Mast Blvd bridge is a perfect vantage point overlooking Lake 2. You have a wide view of the park, Mission Trails and Cowles Mountain, as well as plenty of water and sky to balance the image.

My home is near the corner of Fanita Parkway and Mast Blvd, and there are a couple other overlooks that provide nice views at sunset.

It really is amazing how much of a difference the winter season makes for the light in Southern California. These high clouds are amazing, and maybe not an unusual sight in areas closers to the normal path of the jet steam, but they aren’t always prevalent in Southern California.

Below, I have included a gallery of several images taken in several overlooks and in different image orientations. I believe the Sunset in landscape from Mast Blvd is the best. Let me know if you have a preference!

As always, I thank you very much for reading, and I hope you enjoy the images!

Sunset From Mast # 1Sunset from corner of Fanita Parkway and Mast Blvd

More From Santee Lakes

More from Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve, the beautiful set of lakes just by my home. The El Nino weather system has kicked in and the rain is hitting California hard this week. In the days leading up to this advancing weather system, the light was beautiful. Continue reading →